Dulcis Venemum
by inmemoryoftheMasterRapper
Summary: It started with a simple bump of shoulders on the day that they met. A series of name-calling on their second day. He dragged her to his side. Since then, her existence had been looped around the finger of that smiling little boy.
1. Recolo, Recall

**Dulcis Venemum (Sweet Poison)**

**Summary:** "_It always started with a pat on the head, a lopsided smile plastered on his porcelain face as he weaved his way to my heart..." __  
><em>  
><strong>AN:**Since I can't get over my NeuKo fix, and the open ending of the series killed me, I decided to enter in the MTNN fandom and make a fic. I dunno how many chapters this fic will take, but I do hope you will like it. Expect OOCness since Human!Neuro is in this story, and not Demon!Neuro. It's an AU fic for all of you NeuKo fans out there! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Recolo, Recall <strong>**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Mama, please tell me a story."<p>

"Hm? A story about what?"

"I don't know. Any story!"

A laugh. "Hm. Let's see... Well then, how about I tell you how I met a good friend of mine?"

A high-pitched cheer. "Oh! Do I know her? Is it Kanae-_neechan_?"

An index finger hovered on her smiling lips, beaming at the child with mirth, "No, it's not her, but I'm quite sure you know him well."

"It's a man?"

A giggle, "Yes!"

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, snout face." <em>

_"What? Don't call me that! I have a name, you know!"_

* * *

><p>It started with a simple series of name-calling on the day that we met.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Pft. Please. I <em>know_ you have a name. Everyone does, stupid." __  
><em>  
><em>"Then why are you calling me snout face? That—that's rude!" <em>

_"Oh? And I suppose pointing and yelling at people's faces is not rude, is that it? Why, that's like the pot calling the kettle black. Your glares won't work on me, maggot, don't even try it—I can squish you with my hands so hard you'll never get a chance to scream. And besides, snout face suits you—you eat like a piglet, so I'll call you a snout face, Snout Face."_

* * *

><p>He grated on my nerves back then. Always talking to me with that cocky smile of his.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I have a name! Call me by my name!"<em>

* * *

><p>He laughed, on that day when I demanded him to call me by my name—he did so with that wide smile of his—and covered his mouth with his spidery hand. I could swear he had two pointed upper teeth on each side of his gums.<p>

It fascinated me, surprisingly.

* * *

><p><em>"Oh? Well then, let's hear it. What's the bug's name?"<em>

* * *

><p>Now that I think about it, there was something in his voice—his arrogance seemed to drip in his every word when he speaks, that I can tell—though there had always been something in his voice that drew me in.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"My name is Yako. Katsuragi Yako! Remember that! And I'm not a bug!" <em>

_"Oh? A name that means, 'strong child' and a surname that means, 'Judas tree'? How aptly named you are. It must be all of that food dumped on your hips. A strong child with an infinite hunger for greasy food."_

* * *

><p>Yes, he irked me. And it was only the first day of being a third grader.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Don't make fun of me and my heritage! W-well, what's <em>your_ name, then? Surely yours is funny as well!"__  
><em>

* * *

><p>Only he knows how to make me mad...<p>

* * *

><p><em>"My name is not funny. Your unformed and dysfunctional brain might get blown away if I tell you. You might not take it to heart to remember it." <em>

_"Oh, it's not like I can't—hey! My brain's not unformed! My brain is working quite well!" _

* * *

><p>Only he knows how to make me go insane with his tactless words.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Hmph. A little glutton like you will never understand."<em>

"_Understand what?"_

"_Hah! See? I told you you can't understand."_

"_That's because you didn't tell me what is it I'm supposed to not understand!"_

"_Heh."_

* * *

><p>That little laugh of his always makes me go frustrated.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>What now? You're laughing at me again!"<em>

"_You're quite amusing, I see."_

"_I don't see anything that's worth amusing."_

* * *

><p>His eyebrow had raised when I said that. Another expression for the always mischievous and grinning little boy.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I meant you're amusing. Is that too much for your lonely-celled brain to decipher? Are you <em>that_ daft?"_

"_I have lots of brain cells, thank you very much. Every human in the world has them. Why are you talking to me? I don't think I'm amusing. And I'm not daft!"_

* * *

><p>I think I said something that made him mad that day, for his thin eyebrows suddenly furrowed and he frowned at me.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Well, <em>I_ still think you're amusing. Not to mention, you look like someone who can be my playmate for the whole year. Is that all right?"_

* * *

><p>He had asked that to me sweetly, with a face that changed from that of a devil to an angel.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...That sounds... nice."<em>

* * *

><p>I had agreed on that day.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Of course it sounds nice! <em>I_ had just asked your little insignificant and lowly self to be _my_ playmate for the whole year! And that's saying something!"_

"_...And that something is...?"_

"_Hmph. You really need to sharpen that minute cranium of yours. Well, enough of that. I've decided to tell you my name, since it's only normal for two people playing together to know each other's names to have this sense of familiarity, at least."_

"_...Isn't that what I've been asking you for the past five minutes?"_

"_Nonsense. You didn't ask me properly."_

* * *

><p>He had this devious way of twisting the words of others to fit his convenience. That sly fox.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Well then, <em>Your Highness,_ what may I call you?"_

"_For some reason, I sense a bit of sarcasm in your squeaking noise you call a voice. But since you asked, properly this time, (and you practically called me a king!) I'll tell you who I am."_

* * *

><p>He's a manipulator, in a way. And I did not know I had walked into his trap.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm Nougami Neuro—"<em>

* * *

><p>He told me his name that day. And in that moment, I realized—<p>

* * *

><p>"—<em>and you will be my workhorse from now on!"<em>

* * *

><p>—that I have signed myself to the devil incarnate himself.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>H-how dare you! You can't order me around like tha—"<em>

_"Again with the finger pointing. Seriously, did you even learn a single shred of manners when you were five? I pity whoever taught you manners—they must have grovelled and vomited blood just to make you learn a single scrap of basic etiquette, which I can clearly see that you didn't apply any, _if_ there's any."_

_"Ow! Don't bend my finger, you bully!"_

_"Hm, I think I should teach you some basic manners, that should clean up the boulders of dust in that empty head of yours." _

_"Hey, listen, you—"_

_"Rule number one. Never talk back to your superior."_

_"—What do you mean your superior, you dummy—"_

_"Rule number two. Never call people names. I thought at least you know that fact, worm. It's quite rude."_

_"—You're the one who started it! And you just called me a worm!"_

_"Rule number three. Never interrupt when someone is speaking. It's infuriating and is an insult to the speaker." _

_"—_You're_ the one who's being infuriating, you—" __  
><em>

* * *

><p>He sighed that day, and I remember smelling the scent of tapioca on his breath. It made me hungry despite my predicament.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I guess I really need to teach you everything from scratch. Oh, well. At least I have something to play with." <em>

_"Wait, I'm a person, not a 'something'! I didn't even agree on anythi—" _

* * *

><p>He cackled, one that sounded too boisterous to my hearing.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Be grateful, Katsuragi Yako! For I, the great Nougami Neuro have decided to take your insignificant existence under my wing!"<em>

* * *

><p>He pointed and flicked his middle finger to my nose. It hurt.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I don't think I should be grateful for anythi—eek!"<em>

* * *

><p>He grabbed me by my head that day, with that wide smile of his that almost reached his ears.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"What's that? I can't hear you over this melody!"<em>

* * *

><p>He had put earphones in his ears, and cranked up a loud noise—rock music, perhaps—enough for me to hear it at an arm's length while he literally dragged me by my short hair. I remembered having lost more than a handful of hair that day. Farewell, my crowning glory.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Let's go, Yako! I can't wait forever!"<em>

* * *

><p>It was then that I realized that he called me by my name twice. I thought it would be nice if he would always call me that. My life would have been so much better, I thought.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I can walk perfectly fine, Neuro! Don't drag me!" <em>

* * *

><p>It was also then that I realized that I called him by his name for the first time since he talked to me for the past twenty minutes. And I realized his name sounded funny. "Brain eater", his surname meant. And his given name sounded like something that was taken from out of a science textbook. I never told him what I thought about his name, though. I wouldn't know what he would do to me if I insult him.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I'll do anything I want with you! You became mine the moment you bumped into me yesterday!" <em>

_"How is _that_ even possible? Have you forgotten I already apologized yesterday?" _

* * *

><p>He was very arrogant. He was sarcastic. He was a hypocrite to his own words.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"It's possible, Snout Face. Your contagious germs got transferred to me when you bumped into me! And don't compare me to your crust-filled brain. Of <em>course_ I remember you apologized, you dog. At least you know how to say sorry."_

* * *

><p>He didn't care if he hurt someone with his sharp tongue, as long as he gets his point across.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Of <em>course_ I know how to say sorry! I have my manners, you know!" _

_"It doesn't look like it, though."_

_"That's because you're being rude to me!"_

_"Hah! I'm not being rude, I'm being honest around here. You're the first one to talk back to me continuously. I'm quite surprised, actually." _

* * *

><p>He was callous with his actions, it seemed. That's what I thought. But then...<p>

I saw a glimmer of excitement in his green eyes. They had the most startling shade of green I have ever seen—a cross between that of jade and obsidian melted together.

* * *

><p><em>"What? You suddenly became silent. Had enough hair loss and brain cell loss already?" <em>_  
><em>

* * *

><p>I remembered smiling at him, despite his hand being entangled painfully on my scalp as he dragged me to his side down the corridor. I could clearly hear some of my friends whispering words of pity about my situation. I shrugged them off as I looked at him and continued to smile.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Could it be that you're happy?" <em>_  
><em>

* * *

><p>He became silent at my question, and that little hand on my hair slightly loosened its grip as he stared at me with those dark green eyes. I was thankful he let go of my hair even for a moment.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Happy? Happy about what?"<em>

* * *

><p>He looked clueless then, and I laughed.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Happy that you get to have someone to keep you company? Perhaps you were just lonely that no one was talking to you on your first week in school, so you get impatient and go on a fit about getting a new friend! Don't worry! I'll be your friend!" <em>_  
><em>

* * *

><p>...Bad move.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"...Friend...?"<em>

_"Yes! A friend! Friends help each other!" _

* * *

><p>I didn't know what came over me that day—to say such a thing to my (then) torturer.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"...You think I'm your <em>friend_?"_

_"Of course!"_

_"...But you're my dog to play with. Not exactly the 'friend material'."_

_"...What?"_

* * *

><p>He resumed his vice grip on my head and walked towards his homeroom, my poor feet being dragged along like some ragdoll. He was merciless, I think. Always putting his ego first. That was my first impression.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"<em>You'll_ be staying here."_

* * *

><p>He did everything on his own decision, uncaring for the opinion of others. I felt the heavy stares of the kids around me that day. They must have wondered what's someone like me doing in their class during lunch break. I wondered about that, too.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I can't stay here! This is not my homeroom! And I don't have my things with me! And my food!" <em>

_"They're taken care of, piglet. Look." _

* * *

><p>He pointed his middle finger at the back of the room, where a chair was pushed far at the back, my name engraved on the wood at the top of the seat.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"You did what? Since when?" <em>_  
><em>

"_Since yesterday."_

* * *

><p>He always did everything like he owned the world.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>How did you even do that?"<em>

_"I have my ways." _

* * *

><p>He had smiled at me, then. At least, I thought it was a smile. It was a face of something between mischievousness and sadistic amusement. His lips almost reached his ears, his grin wide and it almost split his face. His teeth beamed at me again, and I was right—he <em>had<em>two sharp upper teeth on each end of his gums. His eyes gleamed at me as he dragged (forced) me to sit at the chair that held my name. The kids were whispering amongst themselves, the words, "poor girl" reverberating continuously in my ears.

But even so...

* * *

><p><em>"This is your new homeroom, snail." <em>

_"...I see you have given me a new name—hey! How can this be my homeroom? I'm three classrooms away!" _

* * *

><p>...I can tell that he's lonely. Those eyes seem to said so. And those eyes—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I've arranged it with the teacher so that you'll be in my every class. Isn't that fun?"<em>

"_What! You just did _what_?"_

"_...You don't like it?"_

* * *

><p>—those eyes seemed to hide sadness. I always wonder why. He seemed happy enough... I think.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...What?"<em>

"_...You don't like it?"_

"_Of course I don't like it! You just suddenly got up to me and dragged me to—"_

"_...You really don't like it?"_

* * *

><p>I blame that "kicked puppy look" face of his. It was always that face that did me to succumb to his sadistic whims. Those eyes would go large and watery, his pointer finger poised on his bottom lip as he pouted and he would occasionally sniff. He's a great actor.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...No."<em>

* * *

><p>Guess what he did after I (bravely) said that word?<p>

...He bit my forehead. Hard.

* * *

><p>"<em>Waaah! Jun-sensei! He bit me! He bit my forehead!"<em>

"_Neuro! I thought I told you not to go biting other people's foreheads! That's unhygienic and rude!"_

* * *

><p>Nevertheless, even after being scolded, his blank smile and those hollow green eyes stared at me with amusement, it didn't seem like he listened to the teacher's rants at all.<p>

Though, even after that incident, and after he got scolded by the homeroom teacher and got jeered at by his classmates (I was looking at him from the doorway, too scared of him and his teeth), he turned to me—

* * *

><p>"<em>Come play with me again tomorrow!"<em>

* * *

><p>—and smiled, a <em>real<em> one, at that.

* * *

><p>His very existence intrigued me, for some reason. And despite all of my classmates saying that they felt pity for my situation with the "forehead-nomming kid", and warned me about not to get close to him—I defied all of that.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...I've returned."<em>

"_Ah! See? I knew you'd come crawling back to me with your tail between your legs like the mangy dog that you are! Now, get to work! You need to clean up this mess!"_

"_...I see no mess around this room, though. It's quite clean, actually—"_

"_...There, now it's dirty!"_

"_You just threw that pile of trash on the table! Clean that up, you filth!"_

"_...Did you say something, dishrag?"_

"_...Nothing. nothing at all, your majesty."_

"_Good. Now, clean it up!"_

* * *

><p>...Though there are times that I wondered why I had put up with him and his verbal abuse after all these years, never taking his piercing words to heart.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>You're done?"<em>

"_...Yes."_

"_Good. Here's a reward for your hard work, you mutt."_

"_Ah! Meat buns!"_

* * *

><p>There are also times when I think that he seemed like another person entirely—showing his rare caring side from time to time.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Eat them well. I had put a decent amount of liquid paraffin in those buns. No, wait. Maybe I had put in the whole bottle. Dunno."<em>

"_You demon!"_

* * *

><p>He's infuriating, and yet—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>It's getting late. Shall I walk you home?"<em>

"_...What's in it for you, this time?"_

"_Nothing much. I just have some time on my hands after doing that science homework."_

"_...You'll really walk me home?"_

"_Of course. What do you think of me? A bully who will taunt you when you're weak and crying all over the floor like some slab of dead meat?"_

"_...Uh, yeah. Kind of."_

"_How rude. I was trying to be nice to you like I did every day."_

"_...When did that happen?"_

* * *

><p>...'When did that happen', indeed.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Did you notice something lately, Yako?"<em>

"_Hm? Notice what?"_

"_...And here I thought you might have grown a brain cell or two..."_

"_Just tell me already."_

"_Did you notice something about little girls being kidnapped around midday?"_

* * *

><p>That question had me thinking at that time. I thought it was just a cruel joke on his part, but—<p>

—even I had heard of that news. I heard it from my mother.

* * *

><p>"<em>I have heard of it. Why?"<em>

_"No reason. I just wanted to ask. Because the usual time when they were kidnapped occurred between four to five o'clock. Just like now."_

_"...What?"_

_"...You've been asking that word to me lately. Maybe you have gotten deaf or something. Or maybe you really need some nourishment for that miniscule brain of yours. Would you like some bird poo?"_

_"Do not want!" _

* * *

><p>I never knew what went on in that mind of his; what makes him tick. I always thought of him as a bully, always wanting to see the pain of others with glee as he laughed away their misery.<p>

...Until that day.

* * *

><p><em>"Run!"<em>

_"I can't just leave you alone!"_

_"I said run, you worm! They'll get you if you don't drag your smelly butt out of here!"_

_"But—"_

_"Just go!" _

* * *

><p>I ran away from him. It happened a few days after he warned me about the kidnappings. Since I met him, he had been pestering me, following me, and walking me home every day.<p>

I didn't know where he lived. I always thought he lived nearby, for he always walked me to my house.

It only happened once_—_on that day that we didn't walk together_—_because he got scolded again by the teacher for biting his classmate's forehead (it was his favorite habit, it seemed). I couldn't wait for him at that time because my mom wanted me to do some errands before she leaves the next day for another trip from her work.

It only happened once. And before I knew it...

I got dragged away by six men all clad in black.

* * *

><p><em>"Neuro!" <em>

_"I thought I told you to run, you snail."_

_"But I really can't leave you alone!" _

* * *

><p>I didn't know what he did to my captors. I didn't even <em>know <em>how he found out about my location, let alone how he knew about my situation. All I know was that when I saw him outside the building, he was covered in soot and blood and swollen bruises were littered on his little arms. In his hand was a faucet pipe. I didn't dare to ask what he did with it.

* * *

><p><em>"I see you did some damage here as well!" <em>

_"I only followed what you taught me!" _

* * *

><p>During the times that we walked together, he would always tell me things about how to do self-defense. I never knew why he told me those things—and yet I listened, even though I always believed nothing will ever happen to me.<p>

I felt grateful for his presence—for meeting him, I was thankful.

* * *

><p><em>"Good! I see that you've finally grown a brain cell!" <em>

_"Yeah, I've—hey! Stop it with the insults already!"_

_"Heh." _

* * *

><p>That blank smile was stuck in his face again, and before I knew it, I closed my eyes and my shoulders instinctively hunched. That hand was about to crush my skull again.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Keep on growing, Yako."<em>

* * *

><p>I was mistaken. He—<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I hope that someday you'll become a human." <em>

_"What are you talking about? I'm already a human, Neuro."_

_"I meant that in a figurative way. Right now, you're still a leech."_

_"What!" _

* * *

><p>He laughed. A loud, booming laugh as he threw away that disturbing faucet pipe.<p>

And he pat my head. Twice. And he smiled.

* * *

><p><em>"You're <em>my_ leech, though."_

* * *

><p>He was infuriating, and yet—<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I don't intend to give anyone what belongs to me."<em>

* * *

><p>—and yet...<p>

* * *

><p><em>"...I was never yours to begin with."<em>

"_You're still my property whether you like it or not."_

"_You'll never let go of that topic, will you."_

"_Of course not. I'll repeat it again and again until my words will sink into your smaller-than-amoeba-sized brain."_

"_...My brain's not that small."_

"_It is. If it were not, you would've just admitted it that you're my property—"_

"—_Which I'm not."_

"_...You don't like it...?"_

"_Don't give me that puppy face again!"_

* * *

><p>—and yet when his bruised hand held mine—<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I'll walk you home, just as I promised."<em>

* * *

><p>"—I felt secure."<p>

* * *

><p>Yako smiled, "—And that's how I met him!"<p>

She looked at the girl with bright hazel eyes, her wide smile of what she assumed was awe captivating Yako's gaze.

"So? Where is your friend, mama?" she asked as she hopped, her stuffed bunny with bright red eyes being held tightly in her death grip. Yako giggled.

"I'm sure you know him quite well. Enoguh of that for now, I need to make dinner. What would you like?"

"Everything!"

An awkward laugh. "...That... is quite a vague description on your menu, you know."

"But that's also your answer when someone asks you about your favorite food!"

"I see you're becoming quite observant as time goes by."

"Of course! I've picked up your abilities, right? You said so before!"

"Right, right. Now, help me up, all right?"

"And then you'll continue your story?"

"You really want to hear the rest of it?"

"Yes, please! I want to know how the two of you got close or something! I've never met a man in my life who'll act gallant like that and would sacrifice his life for his friend!"

She laughed, a dainty hand covering her tiny lips, "Why does it sound like you're comparing this to a fairy tale?"

"That's because I've never met a man who acts like that."

"You're only seven. You'll meet many boys in the future."

"But you were seven when you met him!"

A tight-lipped smile graced Yako's features, and she laughed as she patted the child's blonde hair. "I can never win against you, can't I?" The child nodded in haste as a response. Yako giggled, "Oh, all right. Just help me up before he comes back and I'll continue the story!"

"'Mkay!"

* * *

><p>Shall I continue? Yes? No? Tell me~! :D<p> 


	2. Liber, Child

**Dulcis Venemum (Sweet Poison)**

**Summary:** "_It always started with a pat on the head, a lopsided smile plastered on his porcelain face as he weaved his way to my heart..." _

**A/N:**I got positive feedback from you readers! :D Hence, here's chapter two. :3 (iz so happeh~) Oh, and to Btch, Neuro is a human in this story. :D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Liber, Child <strong>**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Seconds, please!"<p>

"...I think you should say, 'twenties', dear. That's the twentieth time."

The girl laughed, "But mama is the same!"

Yako smiled and ruffled those strands of ashen blonde, "Of course!"

She served her daughter her twentieth plate, and served herself her thirtieth plate. They were running out of plates. And rice.

"Mama? Where's papa?" she asked as she munched on her piece of chicken. It was already 6 o'clock, he should've gone home at 5:30, but it was already 6 o'clock and—

Yako let herself breathe a sigh as she drank her tea, it would not do her any good to panic like this, and so she mustered her most cheerful voice she spoke, "He'll be here. He said he'll be late tonight. I've already saved his food, just so we can't eat it accidentally." She didn't really know _why_he's late. He never comes home late. There's a first in everything, she supposed.

The child hummed and absently stared at her half-empty plate, her mouth masticating the piece of chicken skin, "In the meantime, can you tell me what happens next in your story? And why are you two on the first name basis on your first meeting? Were you two already that close? Mama, I want to know!"

"Oh, you and your inquisitive mind! Do I really have to tell you that?" she whined. Sometimes she blamed her genes for being passed on to her daughter's blood.

"Of course! Mama started it! She should finish it!"

"...Why do I feel like I've heard that line somewhere before? Oh, and don't finger point. It's rude."

The child only laughed.

* * *

><p>Since that incident, I could say that I feel comfortable with him, despite his verbal abuse and his forehead-biting episodes. The kidnappers were found and jailed after a few months, leaving everyone, including your grandmother and grandfather, relieved.<p>

As for the question why we're on the first name basis, I still question that up to this day. I guess it's all because of his dominating behavior that got me calling him on his first name. As to why he called me on my first name on our first meeting, I blame his arrogance for anything and everything.

...I must not tell him that.

* * *

><p><em>"Sit with me." <em>_  
><em>  
><em>"B-but I promised Kanae that—" <em>

_"She has her own friends. Look at her! She's practically surrounded! And I'm here all alone with a simpleton and sorry excuse for a girl to entertain me!" _

_"Th-that's because—" _

_"Don't stutter, you slug. I can't understand you." _

* * *

><p>I didn't have the heart to abandon Kanae's invitation to the newly-opened ramen stand near the bus station that day, but I also didn't have the heart to leave him alone. He was already bad at making friends, I couldn't just leave him.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"The food joint!<em>_Kanae! Station__! After school!" _

_"Oh, dear. Have you crushed your skull this morning? Or have you gone completely stupid with your sentence formation? Or maybe both?" _

* * *

><p>He never got out of that insulting habit of his. Some of my classmates were worrying for my sanity on how I've managed to deal with his comments and forehead-biting and finger-bending every single day. I only smiled and told them he's really a good person despite his nasty quirks. They never believed me.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Neuro, th-that hurts!"<em>

* * *

><p>He hit my head with his bento box and lectured me on how to form coherent sentences while he dangled a piece of tempura on my nose. He said that I should explain everything to him properly. Should I do it properly, he'll give me that tempura.<p>

I accepted his dare. Naturally.

* * *

><p><em>"There's this new ramen shop near the station and she told me that its first customers on its first day will have three extra bowls for free!" <em>

_"Meh. That's all?"_

_"Why are you looking at me like that again?"_

_"I still don't understand where in your flat lands of a body is storing all that food you eat."_

_"Before, you told me they're all in my hips."_

_"Oh? And you actually believed that?"_

_"B-but you—"_

_"There you are again with that finger-pointing of yours. How many times will I tell you that it's rude to point?"_

_"_You're_ being rude to me!"_

_"Heh. No, I'm not, you pillbug." _

* * *

><p>His behavior was insufferable, no one lasted being with him for a few seconds.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Yes, you are! And—ah! My tempura!" <em>

_"That was originally mine, you pug."_

_"You gave it to me!"_

_"Correction. I dangled it in front of your snouty face. I didn't give it to you. Your short-term memory loss is quite amazing."_

_"I don't have short-term memory loss! And I'm not a pug! Give me another one!"_

"_But that was the last one."_

"_Aww."_

"_...Would you rather have it covered in a bit of sauce, then?"_

"_Yes, please!"_

"_Wait. Let me barf it for you, it has a real nice coating of sauce and saliva—"_

"_On second thought, I don't want it, after all."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yes, I'm sur—hey!"_

* * *

><p>His way of saying and doing things irked me every time I'm with him—and he did that forehead-chewing to me again on that day.<p>

Although—

* * *

><p><em>"You really want to go there?" <em>

_"Of course!"_

_"All right. I'll go with you." _

* * *

><p>—his rare acts of gallantry surprised me every time.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"You will?" <em>

_"Meh. Kind of. I've heard of a new bookstore opening there today. Might as well check it out." _

* * *

><p>I learned something new about him on that day.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Oh? I didn't know you like books, Neuro!" <em>

_"You never asked, you dolt."_

_"When will you ever grow out of that barrage of insults of yours?"_

_"When you will grow a brain."_

_"Again with the insults!" _

* * *

><p>Insufferable, haughty little boy. That's what he was.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Yako! Are you coming with us today?" <em>

_"Uh. Y-you see—"_

_"—She'll be with me for the whole day so I don't think she'll have time for anyone right now. Right, Yako?"_

"_Uh. Right. So—"_

"—_So she really needs you to go now so she can finish her ten-course meal! Can't have her going hungry now, can we?" __  
><em>

* * *

><p>...I could swear Kanae and my other friends' faces turn pale. It was either because of his presence behind my back (or maybe it was the way he put his hands on my shoulders with that "friendly" smile of his) or it was because of his way of describing my eating habits. Either way, I wanted to hide my face in the mud and never to look at anyone for the whole day at that time.<p>

They all knew I transferred from my orginal class to all of _his_ classes. Kanae demanded to know exactly _why._ I told her nothing. He had already been subjected to being the topic of discussion by his (and my) classmates on a daily basis. I wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea, too!

* * *

><p>"<em>Uh, yeah! She needs her food, after all. W-well, then! I guess we'll see you around tomorrow?"<em>

"_Y-yeah. Tomorrow. (Neuro, say bye to them!)"_

"_(Hm?) Oh! Bye-bye, Yako's friends! See you tomorrow!"_

* * *

><p>Those little hands never left my shoulders even as they left, with what I assumed were looks of pity for my situation. I could swear I heard someone whisper something along the lines of, "evil kid" as they left us. I wanted to cry at that time, for what reason, I never knew. It must be pity, I assume. Pity for my friend that the people couldn't understand. Even though he acts like a bully (and bites foreheads on a day-to-day basis), he's kind, was what I thought.<p>

I guess you really could never please everybody. In his case, he couldn't please anyone. Period.

And I cried. Even though I told myself not to.

* * *

><p>"<em>...You're sniffling."<em>

"_...No, I'm not."_

"_Well, if that's not a line of snivel that's running down your nose, then it's safe to assume that that's a weirdly-colored tear that comes out of your nose. And it looks sticky, too."_

"_Oh, shut up!"_

"_See? You smiled!"_

"_That's because you're fooling around again!"_

* * *

><p>Dominating. Bossy. Demanding. Sadistic. A cruel little boy.<p>

And yet—

* * *

><p>"<em>...What's that?"<em>

"_It's a handkerchief, stupid. I thought even _you_ of all animals would know this type of object. I guess I overestimated your bacteria-sized brain."_

"_I know what a handkerchief is, dummy. I meant what's it for—ah!"_

"_It's for your nose, Snout Face. Obviously."_

"_I can wipe my nose myself, Neuro!"_

"_But you don't even know what a handkerchief is, let alone its purpose for mankind! I should teach it to your non-existent hygiene—"_

"_My—hygiene is just _fine_!"_

"_Nope. I'm going to wipe out the tiniest bit of snot on that tomato face of yours until you're squeaky clean. Then I'll smudge your face with mud to make you look like a pig again—Now, blow your nose."_

"_Hhrghpfffft!"_

"_See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?"_

"_I gesso. Grhpfft!"_

"_...I suppose you're going to have to clean that. That is mine, after all."_

"'_Mkay. I'll give it back to you tomorro—"_

"—_No. Clean it now. With your tongue."_

"_..."_

* * *

><p>—and yet at the same time, he could be the most charming person I have ever met, despite his flaws (and his uncanny way of talking to about anyone). It was a good thing he didn't ask why I cried back then. Even if he did, he'd only huff and ridicule my "inept emotions", his words.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>The bookstore comes first. You can eat your ramen later." <em>

"_Yay!"__  
><em>

"_You're quite easy to please, aren't you?" __  
><em>

"_Dunno!"__  
><em>

"_Acting dense again, I see." __  
><em>

* * *

><p>He accompanied me that day, just as he promised. His still bruised hand holding my own. It was one of the rare moments that I consider him a gentleman.<p>

...Now, if only he treated me like a real person from the very beginning...

* * *

><p>"<em>It's crowded today."<em>

_"Ugh. Yeah—ah! Neuro, look!"_

_"What?"_

_"Cakes!"_

_"You and your gluttonous stomach—don't give me that puppy dog look, it doesn't suit your piglet of a face, that look only works on me—all right, I get it! ...I'll treat you later, just... Let's go to the bookstore first."_

_"Okay!" _

* * *

><p>I learned how to copy his pitiful look, it didn't look well on me (at least, that's what he told me). I learned how to tolerate his crude insults. He learned how to tolerate my incessant hunger. We're even in that aspect.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Oh? You like detective novels?" <em>

_"Un. They're nice to read." _

* * *

><p>Looking at him from a close angle, I noticed how his green-black eyes would widen and gleam whenever something would pique his interest. I also noticed that his eyelashes were longer than mine. They would flutter and close whenever his eyes would hastily read the words on the pages.<p>

Not fair. He has eyelashes longer than a woman's!

* * *

><p><em>"I'll get this one. I can pinpoint who the murderer is on the first chapter. Hm. Not that much of a challenge, but I'll give it a try." <em>

_"Y-you can tell who the culprit is by reading only the first chapter!"_

_"Yup. Although, I'm sure that there are two culprits in this story..." _

* * *

><p>His deduction skills have always been superb. I always wished he could give me some of his talent. Though every time I say that to him, he would only pinch my nose until I turn blue.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Would you like to borrow it after I'm done reading it?" <em>

_"Ah! You'll really let me?"_

_"Of course. I want to see who will be your guess on the criminal's identity. It might help you grow as a person."_

_"Oh, I knew you had some generosity in you—"_

_"—Though I'm sure you won't be able to think properly with that non-existent intelligence of yours. You're already brain-dead enough as it is."_

_"You're not generous at all!" _

* * *

><p>I remember some of the people were looking at us—at our bickering—and it was hilarious! And get this, it was the first time that I saw him angry, too. It was not directed at me, though (thank goodness!).<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Would you like a cover for that book?" <em>

_"No, thank you. Yako, let's go."_

_"Ye—"_

_"Oh, look at how adorable they are!" _

* * *

><p>Both of us searched for that high-pitched voice. And when we found it—<p>

* * *

><p><em>"You two look so much alike!"<em>

* * *

><p>—a woman suddenly appeared in our line of vision, startling both him and I.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Um, th-thank you, ma'am—?" <em>

_"I'm guessing you with the brown eyes is the younger sister!" _

* * *

><p>The two of us looked at each other. His eyebrows raised and he shrugged as he looked back at the woman with black hair.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Sister?"<em>

_"Yes!"_

* * *

><p>I had been the one doing the talking this time. I could say he was speechless. His eyes were wide and he was tight-lipped.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Ma'am, you think we're sisters?" <em>

_"Of course! How can you two _not_ be sisters! Look! You're holding her han—"_

_"I'm a boy, you tick-brained ugly old hag." _

* * *

><p>His potty mouth strikes again! And th-that woman was suddenly speechless! Haha!<p>

* * *

><p><em>"O-oh, I see—" <em>

_"Next time, don't go around randomly asking kids if they're both girls, you idiot." _

* * *

><p>If only I had a camera at that time! I would've taken a picture of that gaping face!<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't kn—" <em>

_"Of _course_ you didn't know, you lizard-faced broad. You don't know us, so how will you know if we're both related or not? And why did you come up to us like some pedophile, by the way? Normal people, if they think someone's adorable or has a certain beauty for them, will only gush from afar and let their voices be heard to their object of admiration. _You_, on the other hand, personally came up to us and practically _breathed_ our faces with your stinky breath, making us cringe and uncomfortable and asked us if we're related (which we're clearly not). Surely, you have some sick motive for your intrusion of private space and your questioning of unnecessary questions? Well, then. Let's hear it! What's your motive, you disgusting piece of crap?" _

* * *

><p>To say the least, I was completely speechless, too—those were words I'm not used to hearing, even from him. It was the first time I hear him say such things.<p>

By that time, the people were _really_looking at us. I kept on tugging the sleeve of his shirt. He was using the most derogatory form of "you"—and his insults and his voice suddenly held a stinging bite, something that I'm not used to. He never insulted me that way. I was glad that I was not the reason for his burst of anger.

* * *

><p><em>"I-I have no motive, really...!" <em>

_"_Really_?"_

_"Uh, yes—"_

_"So you're saying that that bag of candy you've been holding behind your back the whole time you were talking to us had nothing to do with your motive?"_

_"Ah—"_

_"(Neuro! That's going too far!)" _

* * *

><p>He ignored my pleas, but—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Cashier-san, could you please check what's the contents of that candy bag? I'd like to know if there's really candy in there. If there is, I'd like to take a good look at it."<em>

"_But—"_

"_Please?"_

* * *

><p>—his bruised right hand that held mine—was shaking.<p>

_He_ was _scared._ And yet he held my hand tighter as he purposely widened his black-green eyes towards the cashier—it was to make him look like an innocent boy, of course. He squeezed it so tight I thought my bones would break.

The cashier complied with a little sound of, "aww". If only she knew that that beneath that angelic face lies a face of an imp.

* * *

><p>"<em>All right, little boy. Um, yes. Right. Um. Could you please do what the little—boy—requested?"<em>

"_Why, the nerve—!"_

"_Oh? So _we're_ the ones at fault now, aren't we? Shouldn't that be our line, you broad? Surely, there's _nothing_ to be apprehensive of if you're not hiding anything in that bag, right? I'd like to see you prove me wrong."_

"_...You disrespectful little—"_

"_Don't hurt him!"_

* * *

><p>I couldn't stop myself. She was about to hit him in the face and—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Yako!"<em>

* * *

><p>In his place, because I shielded him, I got hit instead—with that candy bag.<p>

What was inside of it was no candy, though. Its contents of it were hard enough to make my forehead bleed. And I had a hard time regaining my vision. I felt dizzy then. He came up to me and shook my shoulders.

* * *

><p>"<em>Yako! ...Why, how low of you!"<em>

"_It was her fault! She blocked my way!"_

* * *

><p>My ears throbbed at that time for some reason. It must be because of the blood.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>You snail! You didn't have to do that!"<em>

"_But you were going to be attac—"_

"_I can take care of myself! You're a woman! You're weaker! And _you_ old bag! You're paying for this!"_

* * *

><p>The woman had taken a step back as he had snapped. And no one was able to stop his barrage upon barrage of insults on that woman. I felt his hands tremble, and he whispered something about me not taking care of myself enough.<p>

Oh, and as soon as I regained my vision, I saw him pointing his middle finger at her, too. I didn't know whether to smack him on the head for his show of disrespect to the elderly or to laugh at that woman's face.

* * *

><p><em>"There's a gun in there, isn't it?" <em>

_"No, there's—"_

_"If it's not a gun, then it must be something that's really hard enough to break skin. Otherwise, that must be some _really hard_ candy!" _

* * *

><p>He smiled that wide and toothy smile of his, mischief glinting in his eyes as he stood.<p>

And with no hesitation, he threw his newly-bought _hardbound _novel at her face.

* * *

><p><em>"Police! Police!"<em>

* * *

><p>Everything happened so fast, and before I knew it, people were lying face down and were hunched together, cowering in fear as she took out the pistol inside the candy bag. Some were hiding behind the bookshelves and boxes of books.<p>

As for us, we stood still. Well, it was him who stood still, he stood in front of me. I was still kneeling on the floor as my forehead bled. Adrenaline flowed in me, ears alert should she try to harm either of us.

* * *

><p><em>"Try to call them one more time and I'll shoot your rotten mouth!" <em>

_"Heh. Try me."_

_"Neuro! Don't provoke her!"_

_Bang!_

* * *

><p>A gunshot was heard inside the bookstore on that lazy afternoon.<p>

The bullet was not in either of our bodies, though.

* * *

><p><em>"Hands up where I can see them!" <em>

_"You dirty little—"_

_"I said, 'Hands up'!" _

* * *

><p>The police came just in time. Whoever yelled for help earlier really saved us all.<p>

She was then caught after a fierce struggle. Her glares that were directed at us seemed to burn our faces.

It turned out that she was related to one of the kidnappers before. She tried to avenge her husband who got beaten up in the eye. (I think I know who did it.) Thus, the reason why she approached us was because her husband described us as, "a weak, little blonde girl with a strong, little blonde girl with a potty mouth" during the time she visited his jail cell. Right before she got dragged inside the police car, however, he hollered at the woman. She turned, so did the police, and he raised his middle finger at her again. He really needed to change his manners.

* * *

><p><em>"That's for damaging what's mine, you ugly monkey."<em>

* * *

><p>I smiled at his words for some reason. And the dull ache in my forehead seemed to disappear.<p>

And then, out of the blue, someone appeared beside me, his hand stretched out to my hand, his smile wide as he spoke to me.

* * *

><p><em>"Can you stand?" <em>

_"Why, thank you, Neu—you're not Neuro." _

* * *

><p>I forgot that he was still standing by the door, his arm and middle finger waving happily about at the woman.<p>

It seemed that I was already used to his presence.

* * *

><p><em>"I know. The name's Higuchi, by the way. The one who called the police earlier." <em>

_"Oh... Oh! That was you? Thank you so much!"_

_"Don't mention it! The man in the green jacket was my dad, by the way. He's a police officer."_

_"Oh, so that's why!" _

* * *

><p>That little boy in the green overalls with big, round eyeglasses smiled at me. I smiled back.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh! By the way—here, I have some dressing for your wound."<em>

_"Ah, th-thank y—"_

_"I'll do it."_

_"Neuro!"_

* * *

><p>He popped out of nowhere and grabbed the dressing and antiseptic from his hands. How rude.<p>

Then again—

* * *

><p><em>"This will hurt, maggot." <em>

_"Well, try not to dab it on too mu—ah!"_

_"Don't speak too much, either. You might bite your tongue."_

_"You're doing it on purpose!"_

_"Heh. No, I'm not."_

_"Hey, you're hurting her! Let me do it—"_

_"Don't touch her."_

* * *

><p>—I could sense that he was becoming defensive. His shoulders were stiff as he twisted that little boy's hand away from my forehead.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, what's your problem?"<em>

"_You're touching my property."_

"_..._What._"_

* * *

><p>He had always been possessive—<em>too<em> possessive, in fact—of me. I remember him glaring holes in his face. And I swear he almost growled.

I didn't know whether I should be pleased or petrified.

...I decided to be pleased.

* * *

><p><em>"Clean your ears, you numbskull. Didn't you hear me? I said, 'don't touch her'."<em>

"_Why are you—" _

_"Neuro, let go of it, already. He didn't mean any har—"_

_"If one of _those_ incidents ever happen again with you on my watch, I'll rip off your forehead with my finger. Don't be too soft. Don't defend him. We don't know who he is."_

_"...'Mkay."_

_"Good. Now, bite this. And Glasses Boy, stop staring."_

_"What's that for—!"_

_"Just bite it if you don't want to lose your tongue." _

* * *

><p>I looked at that stunned little boy, then back at him. He made me bite his arm, for some reason. At that time, I didn't know why he made me do it, but—<p>

—if he hadn't made me bite his arm, I would've gotten gangrene from biting my tongue off.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, you're hurting her again! That's no way to treat a gi—"<em>

* * *

><p>He glared at that black-haired boy. And he silenced himself reluctantly.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Hrrmph—!"<em>

* * *

><p>I closed my eyes in pain from that antiseptic. It stung my skin. That lady hit me too hard.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Just a little more... Don't bite me too hard, maggot. You'll chomp my arm off." <em>

_"Hrrm—"_

_"Good. Just grab my arm. Hold still—back off, mister—you too, lady. I can handle her—all right, you can let go of me now, Snout Face."_

_"...Is it over?"_

_"I'll just put the bandage—you. There's no poison on this, is there?"_

_"Wha—Why would you assume that, you dumbo?"_

_"We barely even know you. Don't expect me to trust anyone after what she had been through. And you just called me a dumbo. If I'm Dumbo, then you're a glasses-wearing, property-touching lunatic."_

"_..." __  
><em>

* * *

><p>I had dared to take a peek as I released my teeth and my hands from his arm.<p>

His eyebrows were furrowed at the bandage, smelling it and staring at it for a long time, before taking a deep sniff of it again—"for any signs of poison" was his reason.

I could tell he still hadn't gotten over that kidnapping incident. After all, when he found me in that building, I was put inside a large and transparent plastic bag.

It must have shocked him, back then.

...So, even _he _has a fear, was my thought that day.

* * *

><p><em>"...There. All done."<em>

* * *

><p>He smiled at me, then at his handiwork. He looked proud, I should say. ("I was once a boy scout in my first grade, you know! I just got kicked out of the team when I went to put super glue on the captain's hair when we were out camping once. I thought it would be fun," he would say.)<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Now, stand up, maggot, you're making the floor dirty with your germs." <em>

_"H-hey, that's not the way to talk to her!"_

_"Oh, you're still here? I thought you had gotten back from wherever hole you came out from. And how I talk to her is my business, not yours."_

_"Neuro! At least try to say thanks! The bandage and antiseptic you used were his, after all! He helped us!"_

_"...Hm? Oh! Well, then. Let me remove that bandage you have on your head and I'll shove it back to his face so you won't owe him—"_

_"That's cruel! It's not my fault if you didn't have a hanky with you—"_

_"So you'd rather have me bandaging you with my handkerchief filled with your green snot? Have you forgotten that it was in your possession? You said something about cleaning it—"_

_"—You threatened me to clean it with my tongue—"_

_"It's a faster way!"_

_"—But then I'll have mucus on my taste buds!"_

_"That's your problem, not mine."_

_"Pf—Pfft—!"_

_"...What now, you ugly fly?"_

_"Y-you two act like my mom and dad! Haha!"_

_"_What_!" _

* * *

><p>It took me some time to think of what he said, and when it dawned on me, I looked around us.<p>

And certainly, the customers and the clerks and the manager around us were giggling, whispering something about "those little children being sweet and adorable".

I wanted to cry for the second time that day.

* * *

><p><em>"N-Neuro! Just—let's go to the ramen store already! This is embarrassing..." <em>

_"Let me get my novel first." _

* * *

><p>He was really calm despite the whispers of the people around us, only seldomly taking a quick glare at that giggling boy whenever he thought that I wasn't looking. And when he retrieved his novel—it now had a dent from where he had hit the woman earlier—he went over to me and dragged me again.<p>

He didn't speak even once on our way out. Not even when that little boy in the green overalls, Higuchi-san, called us to at least properly tell us our names.

When I was about to reply, he tugged on my arm even harder. I decided not to invoke his wrath by not replying. Instead, I smiled and waved as we walked away from the bookstore.

The sun was slowly setting at that time, and the rays were hitting his hair nicely, making it a soft shade of orange and yellow. I didn't comment on it, though. If he was already _that_angry at being mistaken for a girl, then I wouldn't want to think how he would react by me saying that his hair looked beautiful in the sun. In his vocabulary, the words, "beautiful" and "man" shouldn't be together in one sentence.

* * *

><p><em>"Neuro, what was that for?" <em>

_"What was what for?"_

_"You know what I mean! Why didn't you tell him our names?"_

_"If you were to do that, at that distance, then people would overhear it, gaining access to our names is one of the first steps of stalking. I don't want anything like that to happen again." _

* * *

><p>He was protecting me, in his own ambiguous way.<p>

Thus, I nodded and stayed silent. I didn't say anything anymore about the incident in the bookstore.

* * *

><p><em>"So! About the treat—" <em>

_"I'm thinking about it."_

_"Oh, all right. You're—hey. You said you're going to treat me! No time to think!"_

_"Oh? Defying me now, are we? Just because you met that greasy-haired boy doesn't mean that I'll let you go."_

_"Wha—" _

* * *

><p>He turned at me, his green eyes almost swirling in the sunset colors.<p>

He grinned, and once again, I saw those two pointed teeth of his.

* * *

><p><em>"You're <em>my_ maggot. _Mine_. And I don't share what's mine. Remember that."_

* * *

><p>I was speechless. For a seven-year-old, he was quite possessive.<p>

And for some unfathomable reason, I felt happy—that he was there to protect me, that is.

* * *

><p>"So? Mama, does this friend of yours really likes you? I can tell from the way you speak of him."<p>

"Well, I guess. I mean, we did get to know each other throughout the years and in time, we m—oh! Welcome back!"

The door to the dining room revealed a tall man in a suit. Hair spun in ashen blond with ebony highlights and a fair complexion that rivaled the colors of the wall were as defined as the sun. Eyes as green as the lush forest and as black as the shadows looked at the pair sitting in front of the table. An innocent smile was painted on his face as he eyed Yako.

"Hello, maggots."

* * *

><p>I love Neuro. Period. 8D Oh, and I'm getting a hang of this story. XD And thank you for reviewing~! ;A; OwO<p> 


	3. Fabula, Story

**Dulcis Venemum (Sweet Poison)**

**Summary:** "_It always started with a pat on the head, a lopsided smile plastered on his porcelain face as he weaved his way to my heart..." _

**A/N:**Hm, this is the last chappie. Short, I know. But please do read the A/N at the end. :D Oh, and to Lascka, Ishigaki already made a brief appearance in chapter one—he's only mentioned, though. He's Neuro (and Yako's) homeroom teacher. Pity for him, I know. XD

And to clear things up, the word, "musume" means "daughter" and "nanashi" means, "nameless". 8D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Fabula, Story<strong>

* * *

><p>"Ah! Papa!"<p>

The child of seven stood up and jumped her way to her father with her half-mooned smile. The man, who stood expectantly—proudly, should Yako add—smiled his wide and fanged smile at the squealing child and lifted her up—throwing her two feet in the air in the process.

"N-Neuro! I thought I told you not to throw her in the ai—"

"Whee! Whee! Mama, look! Whee! I'm flying!"

"...I'll shut up now."

"How's my maggot number two today?"

"Whee! Just—waa!—fine, papa! Mama's telling me a story about a good friend of hers! Whee!" the child's hands remained outstretched as she was thrown up in the air, and when Neuro heard his daughter's explanation, he stopped his ministrations.

"Hm? A good friend of my snail?" he asked, and he looked at the smiling Yako standing in front of him.

"Is it that girl with the penchant for always treating you to new restaurants? That Kana-_onna-_something," he brought the child back to the solid floor as he talked, much to the little girl's dismay.

"Kanae. Her name's Kanae, why do you always forget? And no, it's not about her. And don't throw her too high next time."

"Meh, whatever you say, leech."

"You'll never outgrow that degrading name-calling of yours, will you?"

"You'll never grow out of that constant growling stomach of yours, will you?"

"But papa says it's his way of showing he cares!" intervened the girl, who now sat happily on Yako's chair, eating her food.

Yako knew that she shouldn't scold her daughter's insatiable appetite—it was in her genes, after all—so she didn't. Instead, she decided to glare at her husband who was widely grinning at her.

"You told her _what_?"

"Exactly as she said," and he smiled that blank smile of his as he moved over to the table and took his share of food.

When Yako didn't move from where she stood, her eyebrow slightly raised, he sighed and dragged Yako by her arm and pushed her back to the chair beside him.

"Neuro! What's that for?"

"Hm. I want to know who this 'friend' is. So it's not that woman. I suppose it's that one that's always on TV?" he asked as he chewed on the sukiyaki on his plate, looking at her with a raised eyebrow as he did so. He ignored her previous question. Before Yako could reply, however, a little voice spoke up.

"Mama says it's a male friend!"

And she resumed eating her twenty-fifth serving, oblivious to a wide-eyed and babbling Yako and a wide-eyed and smiling Neuro.

"Oh? So it's a male?" the green-eyed man asked with a fanged smile. He eyed the wide-mouthed woman beside him, and his smile turned into a face-splitting grin.

"It's not what you think!" was what she blurted as soon as he asked that question. She knew how evil that imagination of his could get, and knowing him for almost all of her life, she's quite sure he's thinking something about 'punishing whoever gets in the way of making Yako his', or maybe even something about 'punishing Yako for paying a sliver of attention to another man other than him'... something like that.

"Oh? Would you care to explain, louse of mine?"

So this time, it's the 'punishing Yako for paying a sliver of attention to another man other than him' part. Although, that's not really the case now, is it?

She mumbled under her breath, and he had to inch closer to her face to hear her properly, his nose touching hers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that."

She forgot how even after all _these years_ he's still sadistic. It's a part of his nature, it seems. And she _knew_ that he heard what she said. Damn him.

"...I said, 'I told her about you'."

And Neuro beamed like a child as he leaned away from her, and his fist collided with his palm in a soft clap.

"Oh, I see! No wonder you looked like a huge and ugly red pimple right now! You told our dear daughter about my fantastic and majestic self! How nice of you, Pimple."

Yako visibly flattened and her eye almost twitched, "...So I'm being demoted to a pimple now—"

"Rejoice, Musume! For I will tell you the story of how your snail-sized mother here fell for my manly charms!"

"(...More like, 'demonic charms'...)"

"Did you say something, pillbug?"

"N-nothing at all!"

And the little girl cheered as she ate her tenth plate of dumplings.

"Yay! Papa gets to tell me their story!"

Neuro turned to the still silently weeping Yako, and his wide grin widened even more, "So, Maggot. Where did you stop?"

* * *

><p>It was our last day of elementary school, and lots of snot-nosed kids with their bawling parents were bustling around, saying whatever insignificant comments that comes to their inept minds.<p>

I did not care for their sappy cries of joy and sadness. I just wanted to find that little pig of mine.

When I found her, she was on the school grounds talking to someone that initially looked stupid to me.

Heh. Well, he was already certainly stupid for trying to touch my property in the first place.

...And that crust-filled hand was on my dishrag's shoulder.

I'd say he's got some king-sized sacks of scrotum for doing that.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ya-chan, I just wanted to say something."<em>

"_Hm? Oh? Do I know you?"_

"_Uh, I'm one of your friends, remember?"_

"_Nope."_

"_...The one who's always with Kana-chan."_

"_Oh! Yes, yes. I remember. Nanashi-san, correct?"_

"_Uh, yes. You see, I... I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time."_

* * *

><p>I hid behind a sakura tree while I listened to them talking. That silly maggot of mine only smiled and nodded for him to continue.<p>

That oblivious little worm did not know that ragboy's intention that day. He was going to—

* * *

><p>"<em>Go on."<em>

* * *

><p>—conf—conf—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I like Ya-chan!"<em>

* * *

><p>—That disgusting and dirty little nutsack confessed! And she just smiled! <em>She<em> just _smiled!_

To say the least, I wanted to wring out his intestines and use it as a mop for his cobwebbed brain. That was _my_ property he was wanting to take. And I don't _share_ my property.

* * *

><p>"<em>O-oh. I see. That's it?"<em>

"_Um. Yes."_

* * *

><p>She hummed. I didn't know why. It must be because of her brain malfunctioning for a proper response. I don't blame her. I mean, no one ever confessed to her. And we were only eleven. And that dog-in-heat of a boy wanted to court her. I bet he's not even circumcised!<p>

What a loon.

* * *

><p>"<em>That's your response?"<em>

"_Of course. I said it's all right, didn't I? That you like me. It's only natural since we're you're a friend of my friend."_

"_So is that a yes or a no—wait, what?"_

"_Yes or no on what? Oh! Have I misunderstood something?"_

* * *

><p>Despite her deep understanding of human behavior in later years, she proved to be powerless at eleven. Her brain was an underdeveloped fetus—sadly, it remained underdeveloped until today. (<em>Hey!<em>)

There are times on which her more primitive-than-stone-age brain proved to be useful. That incident was one.

And sometimes, her unborn brain cell way of thinking amused me to an extent.

...I really had to intervene before she could say something that would make me rip off their necks with my nails.

* * *

><p>"<em>Your response to my confession?"<em>

"_Confession?"_

* * *

><p>Because she was only eleven, her experience was lacking in terms of dealing with others.<p>

Until now, she lacks coherent thoughts. (_Hey! That's rude!_)

Heh.

* * *

><p>"<em>Yeah! You're supposed to answer me with a yes or a no! That's how it happens in a shoujo manga!"<em>

"_...You're reading shoujo manga?"_

* * *

><p>Gyahahaha! What a foolish little tick! He thinks life is a like a manga!<p>

Pft.

How insufferably stupid.

* * *

><p>"<em>N-no, I don't!"<em>

* * *

><p>What a big, ugly slab of a lie.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Then how do you know of it?"<em>

* * *

><p>A good question from the little maggot. Sometimes she uses that lonely brain cell of hers. It does her good from time to time.<p>

And because that pitiful mess and sorry excuse for a human being was being inadvertently rejected by your gullible and oblivious mother here, I finally decided to interrupt and laugh secretly at his miserable face.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ah, Yako! There you are!"<em>

"_Ah, Neuro!"_

"_I've been looking for you."_

"_You were?"_

"_Yup. I told you before I'm going to take you to that candy store after the ceremony, right?"_

"_Oh, Neuro! You really meant that?"_

"No._"_

"_...Stingy."_

* * *

><p>I had taken her attention away from that sweaty-faced frog. That was easy.<p>

And that fat kid looked like he was about to cry. I smiled even more at his pathetic face.

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh, right. Before I forget—Neuro, this is Nanashi-san, one of Kanae's friends. (I don't really know him, though)."<em>

"_Hm? A friend of Kana-onna? Then why is he talking to you and not to her?"_

"_He said he likes me. And her name is Kanae. Get it right, Neuro."_

* * *

><p>She really is oblivious at times. Or maybe because her brain cells stopped regenerating. Either way, I liked the look on that boy's awful face. A mixture of sweat and snot and tears and snivel and drool—I don't know why he had drool in the first place.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh? He said he likes you? And what makes him think that he <em>should_ like you?"_

"_Neuro, not this agai—"_

"_Um. Ya-chan—"_

"_Listen here, No Name. You and your silly words and actions of trying to woo her won't work. The only thing this maggot has her eyes on is her love for food—and I can clearly see that you're not a piece of food, unless you're secretly a mutated half-breed of an animal and a human, and I can clearly see that's not the case, either. Not to mention, you need to wipe your face with a rug. It's hideous. Now, scram, you swine."_

"_Neuro, you're going too far agai—"_

"_And you're being too soft again. How many times must I tell you not to talk to any boys other than me? They might take advantage of you and your lack of common sense. 'That' incident might happen again and—"_

"_No one will take advantage of me! It won't happen again!"_

"_And how can you be so sure, maggot?"_

"_Because you're with me!"_

* * *

><p>'Because you're with me,' she said.<p>

It was all the words I needed to rub it in that kid's face.

* * *

><p>"<em>Did you hear that, Sniveler? She trusts <em>me_. Not you, but _me._"_

* * *

><p>And the thumb-faced kid ran off crying like a banshee. It was a success.<p>

Although—

* * *

><p><em>Slap!<em>

"_What was that for!"_

"_I was protecting you, Snout-Face!"_

"_Protecting me by how? Did you see how miserable he looked?"_

* * *

><p>—it was the reason our first fight began.<p>

It wasn't that serious, though.

* * *

><p>"<em>Yeah. I liked how he bawled. Like some pig being sliced with a knife."<em>

"_Neuro!"_

"_What?"_

"_Apologize to him!"_

"Excuse me_?"_

"_You heard me, Forehead-Biter. Apologize to him!"_

"_And I should do that because...?"_

"_You had hurt his feelings!"_

"_Hah! His _feelings_? Why are you making it sound like _I'm_ the one who rejected him? And don't you dare put homosexual references here, you louse."_

"_What? _I_ rejected him? Rejected him on what?"_

* * *

><p>Foolish, oblivious, and too kind. That's what she was.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...You mean you really don't know, you no-brain?"<em>

"_If I did, I wouldn't have asked you, right."_

* * *

><p>...Her stupidity surprises me at times. <em>(Sorry for being stupid, then.)<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>He was trying to make you his girlfriend."<em>

"_Oh, his—what?"_

"_Not only your brain needs refreshing, but also your ears."_

"_His girlfriend? Me?"_

"_Did you say 'yes'?"_

"_I didn't say anything about that."_

"_Good. Because if you did—I would crush his skull to his peni—"_

"_I don't think I really need to know the rest of that, Neuro."_

"_Heh."_

* * *

><p>A foolish and naïve little girl.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Well? Will you do it?"<em>

"_Do what?"_

"_Apologize!"_

"_To you?"_

"_To that poor boy!"_

"_Meh. Do I have to...?"_

"_Of course you have to. And don't pull that puppy-eyes look on me."_

* * *

><p>At some point in our elementary days, we learned how to co-exist with each other. She learned how to retaliate to my words. I learned how to to bribe her to my whims. It still baffles me to this day how we did it successfully despite our clash in personalities—co-existing, I mean.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>But we don't even know where he went. He must have gone home and hid under his bed, wallowing in his pathetic misery."<em>

"_I give up. You won't apologize, will you?"_

"_Heh. No."_

* * *

><p>Neuro remained insufferable and stubborn and refused to 'bow down to a level of a person with a mind lower than that of a leech'. In the end, we couldn't find him. He really must have gone home that day and wallowed in his misery like he said. <em>(I told you so.)<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>You really irritate me, you know that?"<em>

"_I know. And yet you haven't shunned me away. I wonder why is that?"_

"_..."_

* * *

><p>"'...Why is that', indeed."<p>

"What happened next, Papa? Did that boy stop pursuing Mama?"

The tall man smiled, his two pointed teeth visible as he spoke.

"Obviously. Look at where she is now. I guess I manipulated her to what I want after all this time."

"You always do that, you know."

"Heh. I know."

I took her to the candy store after the graduation ceremony just as I promised.

...

She looked like an idiot when she ate her fill of sweets—

(I did not!)

_"Neuro? Where do you live, by the way?"_

* * *

><p>She asked me that question that same day. Her mother walked us home—she gave me this hand-sized caramel...<br>At least, I _thought_it was caramel. Until I took a bite of it.

It was actually a small cake—it was too hard to eat so I threw it on Yako's head when her mother was not looking.

The maggot's expression was priceless.

* * *

><p><em>"In a house, obviously." <em>

_"I know you live in a house, Neuro. What I meant to say was 'where' as in the location of your house."_

_"Oh. Silly Yako. You should've specified it at the beginning."_

_"I thought that was a very obvious question."_

_"Well, you're obviously wrong." _

* * *

><p>He didn't call me any degrading names at that time. Maybe it was because of my mother's presence.<p>

He was trying to play the "good boy" act.

It worked on my mom. Not for me. _(Of course.)_

* * *

><p><em>"Yako, be specific in your questions. I'm sorry, Neuro. My daughter can be such a klutz sometimes." <em>

_"Hahaha! Don't worry, Katsuragi-san. I'm used to it."_

_"(Why are you forcing yourself to be a nice boy?)"_

_"Hm? Did you say something, Yako?"_

_"Nothing. Nothing at all." _

* * *

><p>He pinched me on the cheek as soon as my mom turned away to open the door to our condo unit, that blank smile stuck on his face again. I tried not to squirm and yell in pain.<p>

And as soon as Mother tucked the keys in her purse and turned to us, he was already holding my hand with a child-like smile on his face.

* * *

><p>"<em>Aww. Neuro, you're such a sweet little boy. Yako, be nice to him, all right?"<em>

* * *

><p>I held her hand and smiled as I walked into their home for the first time since I met her.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Neuro. Can you stay over tonight? We have food enough for the five of us as a celebration for you and Yako finishing elementary together!"<em>

"_...Five?"_

"_Yes. You, Yako, me, her father and Sonobe, our househelp. That's for five people, right? Don't worry, Seiichi will be here soon. He brought more food for us."_

"_...But there's already too much food on the table. Are you sure we can—oh."_

"_I want that steak!"_

"_Never mind. Oh, and thank you, Katsuragi-san."_

"_Don't mention it. Take it as a small payment for saving my daughter that day."_

* * *

><p>Her mother mentioned that incident again.<p>

I kept silent and smiled instead.

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh? So you're Neuro, eh? The one who saved my daughter on that day?"<em>

"_Yes."_

"_I can't believe someone as young as you have such a heart of a brave young man. I should make you into my future son-in-law!"_

"_Father!"_

"_What? He's a good candidate for you!"_

* * *

><p>The betrothal jokes began on that day. I smiled while the little maggot reddened like an oversized pimple.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I think you two will be a great couple someday."<em>

"_Mother!"_

* * *

><p>While Neuro laughed along with my parents' jokes, he—<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I hope we will."<em>

* * *

><p>—he held my hand discreetly beneath the table.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Neuro?"<em>

"_Hm?"_

"_What are you doing there?"_

"_What does it look like I'm doing?"_

"_I dunno. Making a nest?"_

"_Pft. Shut it, piglet."_

* * *

><p>After eating and talking about little things, Father led Neuro to my room where he took an extra futon and some pillows and blankets from the cabinet and laid it on the floor. We had no spare rooms, and it would be rude if we made him sleep on the couch—so Father arranged our beds at each end of the room to prevent anything from happening.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Neuro?"<em>

"_What?"_

"_...You're taking all of my pillows and blankets."_

* * *

><p>And yet, even after my father left after arranged the beds for us, he re-arranged the futon and the blankets and pillows.<p>

He had this weird way of making his bed. It looked like he was making a nest. Really.

He was fluffing out every pillow and arranged them in a circle around him. I don't know why he did that. (_Don't ask, snail._)

* * *

><p>"<em>I can see that, worm."<em>

"_Why are you taking them?"_

"_So I won't get cold, stupid."_

"_But then I'll get cold!"_

"_That's your problem, louse."_

* * *

><p>He took every warm blanket and soft pillows in my room and put all of them on his futon. He fluffed all of them and stuffed it beneath his feet and his head—some were arranged in a circle around him. The blankets were wrapped around his feet like he had a fever—and I was left being frozen in my own room. Mother and Father insisted that he should stay for the night because it's too dangerous for a "sweet and innocent little boy" to go alone. Neuro called his caretaker that night, and she told him it was all right for him to stay.<p>

If only she knew he's not all smiles and innocence.

* * *

><p>"<em>...Nngh."<em>

"_..."_

"_...Nngh."_

"_..."_

"_...Gh."_

"_...Hmph."_

"_...Guh."_

"_...Pillbug."_

"_...Nnng—h."_

"_Hey, wake up."_

"_...Nng—ah?"_

"_You were having a nightmare, idiot."_

"_No, I wasn't."_

"_Yes, you were. You were rolling and tossing like a dust bunny."_

"_That's because I can't find a comfortable position to keep myself warm."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes. You took my blankets and pillows, remember?"_

"_So it's my fault, then?"_

"_Of course it's all your faul—"_

* * *

><p>Because she interrupted my precious sleep, I did the only thing I could to make her shut up.<p>

I—

* * *

><p>"<em>There. Better now?"<em>

* * *

><p>—I shared her my blanket and my pillow.<p>

...Of course it's originally hers. But I was the one using it so I called it mine.

* * *

><p>"<em>...Better."<em>

* * *

><p>'Snuggling', I think it's called. She snuggled to me, and she was hogging all my space.<p>

...Not that I mind.

* * *

><p>"<em>Yako?"<em>

"_..."_

"_...Silly piglet fell asleep already."_

* * *

><p>...That was my first time being um—close—to a boy.<p>

Good thing Mother and Father didn't find out. We woke up earlier than them—because it was a Saturday. It would be bad if they had found out.

Good thing he didn't drop a bomb on telling them the next day.

(And why should I tell them about our prepubescent escapades?)

(_Nougami Neuro! _Not in front of the child! And nothing happened that night!)

* * *

><p>"<em>Take care of my baby for me, Neuro! I know you will!"<em>

"_Yes, ma'am!"_

"_Yako! Be home before five!"_

"_Yes, Father!"_

* * *

><p>To say the least, he took care of me—in his own sadistic way.<p>

* * *

><p>I took care of her—monopolized her—until I have her completely wrapped around my finger. I never heard her complain once, though. She tolerated my torture and provocation.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Neuro?"<em>

"_What is it, maggot?"_

"_...I see you returned to your name-calling habit."_

"_Heh."_

"_Neuro? Do you think—that—what they say will come true?"_

"_Who?"_

"_What my mother and father said last night. About that couple thing. We're too young, right?"_

"_Of course."_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_...'Of course', what?"_

"_Of course. Of course we're too young. And—"_

"_And?"_

"_And of course it will come true. You _are_ mine, after all."_

"_But I belong to myself—"_

"_You belong to me the moment you bumped into me."_

"_But that was—"_

"_No buts."_

* * *

><p>He wormed his way to my life and greedily took every inch of space in my heart—making it his own.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>We'll be late for your daily dose of gluttony, snail. Hurry up."<em>

"_Ah! Wait for me! Takoyakiii!"_

* * *

><p>He dragged my hand—<p>

* * *

><p>I dragged her hand—<p>

* * *

><p>And I looped her existence to my life.<p>

* * *

><p>He carved his existence in my life.<p>

* * *

><p>"It was fate, I guess."<p>

"It's a mystery, I guess."

* * *

><p>Musume looked at her parents in awe.<p>

"Mama and Papa slept together before they got married?"

Yako stood, her cheeks red in humiliation as she glared at the grinning man beside her, "No! You misunderstood, Musume! Neuro! Tell her nothing happened!"

"Nothing happened... in her room."

"_Neuro!_"

"Heh."

There was a pregnant pause—muffled only by Yako's whimpers of defeat—and Musume spoke.

"...So. Can I sleep with a guy I like—"

And the couple's eyes widened and they slammed their fists on the table in unison—voices echoing in chorus as they simultaneously yelled.

"_Absolutely not!_"

And little Musume blinked and smiled and laughed, her little pearly teeth being seen by the world as she giggled, and she tried not to accidentally bite her lips—as she so often does whenever she laughed too much. The appearance of her upper teeth and the color and length of her hair resembled her father's, the sharp intuition and the hue of her eyes came from her mother. The broad and inquisitive mind of hers came from both of her parents. A true Nougami child.

"Someday, I want to meet someone who's like Papa! And I'll make that boy my husband!"

Yako only laughed and Neuro grinned.

"I doubt you could meet anyone who's as majestic as me, maggot number two."

"Neuro, I think Musume needs to get some rest."

"But Mama, there's this show coming on—"

"Do you really have to watch that—"

"It's about food!"

Neuro looked at the tight-lipped Yako, and he fought with his inner self not to laugh.

"...All right. One hour."

"Yay!"

And she ran off with a happy cry, the story of her parents' early days still fresh in her mind as she plopped down in front of the TV and watched the cooking channel. Tonight's episode was about French cuisine. Lovely.

In the dining room, a soft sigh was heard from the brown-eyed woman, a small pout gracing her lips as she crossed her arms.

Neuro sensed something was wrong with his little maggot.

"What's wrong, Slug?"

"You know what's wrong. You didn't have to tell her that. Now our child thinks it's normal for girls to sleep with boys still in their childhood."

"You started that. I finished it."

"...You didn't have to tell her that I snuggled up to you."

"Heh. Embarrassed now, Snail?"

"Shut up."

"I'll help you clean this mess you made with the plates. And then we'll talk later about this."

"About what?"

"About things."

"...I give up."

"Heh."

She stood up and walked over to the fridge, eyeing the last slice of chocolate cake she bought yesterday.

Just as when she was about to get the fork, a soft cheek and a slightly pointed chin met her shoulder. Yako looked at her husband—she was greeted with a wide grin and a blank pair of eyes.

"I suppose we have to tell Musume how she got conceived?"

"N-Neuro!"

* * *

><p>Oh dear. I just <em>have to<em> put his perversion in. XDDD Ahem. Anyway, it got different than what I had imagined it to be. :o I'm planning to write a sequel to this—this is the prologue to the story. It will be a different story (not really) but it will be set on the time after they graduated in elementary school—thus, a sequel. And because it's only after their elementary years, it means no Musume yet. XD

Thank you for reading! :D


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